By Ashlyn Miller
Round Table reporter
This weekend, a gang fight will go down in Middletown. There’s no need to be alarmed; in fact, this is a great time for MHS students. What’s really going on here is the MHS Drama Department’s presentation of “West Side Story”.
The musical centers on the love affair between Tony and Maria, two people who are on opposite sides of a racial feud in mid-1950s New York City. Despite its similarities to the famous Shakespeare play “Romeo and Juliet”, “West Side Story” will keep audience members on the edge of their seats with plenty of action throughout.
MHS seniors Tara Forseth and Brandon Stonestreet have the honor of performing the leads, Maria and Tony, for the show this year. Both are no stranger to the responsibility of having a main role, as both were the leads in last year’s production of “Crazy for You”.
This week, all cast members are on a tight schedule, perfecting the play for opening night. This span of time, known as “Tech Week”, has students practicing every day after school from 2:30 to 9:00, ending with an all-(school) day rehearsal on Thursday.
“Usually, depending on the musical, rehearsal the week before opening is either really smooth or extremely difficult. It really depends on how prepared the leads are. So far this week it’s gone well,” said senior Sarah Engle, who plays Rosalia, a member of the Puerto Rican gang known as the Sharks.
Especially challenging this year for the cast was dealing with the tense racial theme in the play.
“It’s been really hard to portray the racism. We have the tension down, but it’s hard to understand the character’s perspective, since many of us have never been in that type of situation,” said Engle, “What’s helpful to remember is that the things said were a product of the time in which the musical takes place.”
Not everything is serious in “West Side Story” though; the musical also has its share of light-hearted moments. One favorite number among the cast is “America”, a fast, up-tempo song sung by the Puerto Rican women who have recently migrated to America.
Also adding a fun element to the musical are the cameos by MHS staff and parents, among which are Spanish teacher Denise Owens and social studies teacher Jerry Donald.
Overall, “West Side Story” will be a great opportunity to come out and see the talents of MHS students.
“I would definitely tell students to look forward to all of the dance numbers. Everyone’s been working really hard, and it looks great,” said Engle.
“West Side Story” also involves student talents besides those seen on stage. One critical piece of the production is the pit orchestra, which plays the music throughout the show. This year, members of the pit are having to deal with some of the hardest music they have ever performed, because of it’s fast pace and intricacy. The tech crew, members of which help construct the sets, move props between scenes, and control the lights and sound, has also had to deal with difficulties throughout tech week.
For students interested in attending this weekend, tickets are $8 for students and children 10 and under, and $10 for adults. The tickets can only be purchased at the door since so many tickets have already been sold during lunch shifts. Showtimes are Friday and Saturdayat 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
